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Friday, February 15, 2013

Is 2013 officially the year Summer blockbuster season starts in Winter?

Superheros movies aren't just for Summer any more

It used to be in Hollywood that the
biggest tent pole franchises were reserved For Summer (May 1st to
Labor Day), and the holiday season (November 1st to New Years
day).Over the past several years many
blockbusters have been releasing earlier in year, and to big openings, just
last year The Hunger Games releasing on March 23rd raked in a $155
million in it’s opening weekend alone. It seems that the success of the Hunger Games
had a major impact on the overall release schedule in early 2013 and
beyond.Studios are now choosing to
release Films that in years past would have been definite Summer blockbuster
releases like what Disney/Marvel are doing with 2014’s Captain America the
Winter soldier choosing to release it in April rather than Summer like its
predecessor.While this New Year- long
Summer movie season seems to be the new trend in tinsel town, one could argue
that 2013 is the first year we have seen so many quality releases this
early.The proof in the form of the Summer
quality releases that aren't actually being released this Summer after the
break…

Yippe Ki Yay Happy Valentines Day!

February 14th : Die Hard 5: A Good day to
Die Hard hit’s on Valentine’s Day, every previous Die Hard film 1-4 was
released during the Summer. In fact Die Harder and A Good day to Die hard both
released on 4th of July Weekend one of the most coveted spots of
Summer Movie season. However now you can
watch John McLane, blow things up and yell Yippee Ki Yay with your sweetie on Valentine’s
Day.

Bryan Singer and Giants aren't even good enough to warrant a Summer Release these days!

March 1st : Jack the Giant Slayer: previously
titled Jack the Giant Killer this film was originally scheduled for release
during Summer movie season last year (June 15 2012), but Warner Bros. thought
the film would do better in the Spring so they delayed the film until March 1,
2013 in order to market it during a less crowded time at the multiplex (Didn't they hear Summer movie season is year round now?). Bryan Singers first film since 2006’s
Superman returns would seem like a sure summer release, but not now days.

You have to give Rami and company props it takes Ball's to take on this franchise!

March 8th : Oz the Great and
the powerful:
Sam Rami’s Wizard of Oz prequel has the be the most telling proof on this list
that Summer movie season is her now people! In years past this would have
probably been a prime Memorial Day weekend release, but after the success Disney
had with 2010’s Alice in Wonderland releasing in March and ultimately grossing
over a Billion dollars, it seems like Disney can count on paving their own
yellow brick road out of pure gold.

The end of President Eckhart's administration may not be as big of a deal to movie goers as it would have in the 90's!

March 22nd: Olympus has fallen: If this were still
the 1990’s there is little doubt that Olympus has fallen would be opening 4th
of July Weekend, but now a days the potential fall of the greatest Nation on
Earth just seems like more of an occasion for an quite afternoon in March.

This Joe film has to be better than the 2009 original Summer release right?

March 29th: GI Joe
Retaliation:
Even the Rock as Road block and Bruce Willis as the original Joe weren't enough
to keep Paramount from delaying GI Joe 2 from 4th of July weekend
2012 to March 29, 2013. We just have to
hope that the delays were made to actually improve the film, rather than just
for 3D post conversion so Paramount and Hasbro can pad their wallets.

I'm pumped for any Evil Dead film that Sam Rami and Bruce Campbell are involved in remake or not!

April 6th: The Evil Dead
remake:
Normally horror remakes aren't potential Summer blockbuster quality, but with
Sam Rami leaving Oz just in time to produce along with Bruce Campbell this
remake looks to be the exception to the rule.
Anyone who has seen the red band trailer can testify that this looks
like a faithful adaptation of the all time horror classic, with a little added
flare of extreme gore and violence that will hopefully fulfill all Evil Dead fans wildest
dreams nightmares!

Cruise VS. Freeman, need I say more!

April 12th : Oblivion: Tom Cruise the
man that used be Mr. Summer Blockbuster starring in films like Top Gun and Days
of Thunder can now be seen on the big screen in early April. Even Cruise
squaring off against Morgan Freeman in the future wasn't enough to get Universal
to release this film during the height of Summer movie season!

A magazine article, really?

April 26th: Pain and Gain: Michael Bay has directed some of the highest grossing Summer blockbusters ever with the
Transformers franchise (Hey I didn't say they were good movies). So you think a Michael Bay film with The Rock
and Mark Wahlberg would be prime territory for a Summer release. I guess when your film is based on a magazine
article about God knows what, what more can you expect?

While the preceding list of films may be Summer
blockbuster quality they are by no means a substitute for the Iron Man 3’s or the Man of
Steel’s of the world coming our way from May through August. It is however interesting to look forward to
these quality movies that major studios are banking on to bring in blockbuster
type cash early in the year, and the impact they will have on future studio
release schedules. Based off the preceding
list I think it’s safe to say starting with A Good Day to Die hard on Valentine’s
Day, Summer movie season 2013 is unofficially here!